How well do you really know your skin? I always thought my skin and I had a pretty good relationship – I cleanse every evening (OK, when I’m not feeling super lazy) with a micellar solution and apply a moisturizer or serum or both and treat my skin to a Clarisonic sonic cleanse a few times per week when I remember to charge it – and for the most part my skin plays along by being smooth, blemish-free and generally happy. Over the last little while, my skin has been a huge mess, requiring daily foundation and copious amounts of concealer. So, when I heard the Vichy Skin Health Centre was in town at Toronto Eaton Centre (outside Forever 21 on the lower level) I ran over on my lunch to get my newly confused skin analyzed by a professional.

Once there, I met with Ashley who promised to uncover my skin’s deepest darkest secrets. The skin analysis is 5 parts –

It sounds really intensive – and it is – but it took about half an hour from end to end.

With the sebum patch test, where they press two of these tabs on your face – forehead and cheek – I discovered that I have combination skin that is drier overall but oilier on my T-zone. Since my skin is always pretty parched, it was interesting to discover that it is combination!

I wasn’t wrong about my skin being dehydrated, though. Using the hydrometer, we learned that my skin is 34% hydrated, making it “dehydrated” (optimal is 40% or more).

Next up was the skin microscope. This was probably the coolest part of the whole experience. Using the microscope, Ashley showed me the difference between really great skin – the baby-smooth skin on the underside of my arm – and skin that isn’t so happy. She helpfully zoomed in on my massive blemish so we could get a good look at it.

Pretty stark difference between the skin, right? A bit scary if you ask me. Speaking of scary, they also took a photo using a UV camera of my super freckly skin. This is pretty much like being naked on the internet, so we’re about to get super intimate. Are you ready?

According to Ashley, the freckles aren’t a problem so much as the darker spots along my forehead that show UV damage beneath the surface.

After my in-depth skin analysis, Ashley showed me the Vichy products that would best complement my skin and showed me how they all work. This girl is drinking the Kool Aid and I can’t wait to try them all out – look at the difference between my left and right hand! No Photoshop or lighting trickery here – the hand on the left was smoother, more supple and, thanks to a BB cream, less vein-y.

After the experience, your personalized skin routine is emailed to you and will look like this:

You’ll also go home with some samples and a coupon to use at Shoppers Drug Mart to pick up everything you need for your own custom skin routine. You can get up close & personal with all of the different items, too. After experiencing the Night Spa on my hands I can’t wait to see what it does for my mega-parched face.

The Vichy Skin Health Centre will be at Toronto Eaton Centre (lower level, outside Forever 21 and conveniently right by the Queen St. Subway exit) until Sunday March 30. The assessment is 100% free and you’ll learn a ton about your skin! Let me know if you go – I can’t wait to share the rest of my skin health journey with you when I get my hands on my suggested products.